VMRC COVID-19 Fisheries Disaster Relief Information

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June 10, 2021: The Draft Spend Plan for the 2021 Virginia Fisheries Disaster Relief Program is now available for review. The spend plan is the funding proposal on how to manage applications and funding for the 2021 disaster relief program and must be approved by NOAA before any action may be taken. Once approved, VMRC will distribute information on how and when industry members may apply. No action is necessary at this time for interested applicants. Please provide any comments to covid19relief@mrc.virginia.gov no later than June 25th, 2021. [Draft Spend Plan]

PRESS RELEASE (March 31, 2021): NOAA Announces State-Specific Fisheries Disaster Relief Allocations from the Consolidated Appropriation Act, 2021

On March 29, 2021 NOAA Fisheries announced the allocation of $255 million in fisheries assistance to states and territories with coastal and marine fishery participants who have been negatively affected by COVID-19. These funds are provided as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021.

The Virginia-specific portion of this fisheries assistance $3.7 million. The VMRC recognizes the total funding allocation falls significantly short of addressing the devastating impacts that COVID-19 has had on the vast and diverse fishing community in Virginia. The Agency will work diligently to distribute the allotment of disaster relief funds and will seek public comment on the next draft spend plan.

At this time, no specific action is needed for those in Virginia’s fishing industries who are interested in applying for assistance. The VMRC expects this process to take several months. Details about eligibility and the application process will be emailed and posted to the VMRC COVID-19 Disaster Relief page and the agency’s social media when available.

If you have additional questions please email covid19relief@mrc.virginia.gov or call 757-247-2200, Option #5.

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March 23, 2021: Virginia has fully distributed all of the funds from the first round of disaster relief from the 2020 Cares Act Disaster Relief Program.

In December 2020, a second major COVID relief package was signed. At this time, Virginia does not know how much funding will be allocated to the state nor when we will receive the funding. This page will be updated as soon as new information is received. All available details on the second relief package are below.

What’s Next?

In the meantime, it is highly recommended all those in Virginia’s fishing industries interested in applying for assistance make sure their commercial licenses, mandatory harvest reports, mailing address, email and phone numbers are up to date with the Commission. In addition, begin gather the necessary documentations of evidence of your participation in Virginia’s fisheries in 2020 along with losses relative to up to the five most recent years. Any documents must have your full name to be valid. By preparing your documents in advance it will make the application process easier for you and allow staff to efficiently expedite to funds. We will provide updates on this second round of assistance on our website, Facebook, and via emails. It will be the responsibility of the individual to check the sites listed below for updates and deadlines.

Second Relief Package:

On December 28, 2020, H.R. 133 was signed – part of which included a second major COVID relief package. This package includes a second round of Fishery Disaster Assistance. Division “M” of H.R. 133, “Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021” includes $300M in new funding for “Assistance to Fishery Participants.” H.R. 133 includes the following guidance for the additional funding:

• Each coastal state and territory shall receive at least 1% of $300,000,000. A state or territory’s total receipts, including previous Section 12005 funds, may not exceed its total annual average revenue from commercial fishing operations, aquaculture firms, the seafood supply chain, and charter fishing businesses.

• The bill does not alter the 35% revenue loss threshold.

The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) will be responsible for allocating and distributing these funds to the states and territories. There have been very few updates on how to proceed with these funds from NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service, due in part to the change in administration of the executive branch and changes to administrative leadership at NMFS. It is hoped once NOAA Fisheries proceeds with the funding the process will be quicker than the first round of funding given the infrastructure that has been created for support.

The procedure will be similar as the first relief funding: Workgroup, Preliminary Spending Plan; Public Hearings; Approval of Spending Plan; Implement application: Distribution of Funds; and Appeals.

For more information concerning the Virginia’s Disaster Relief: https://mrc.virginia.gov/Notices/2020/VMRC-COVID-19-DISASTER-RELIEF.shtm

If you have additional questions please email covid19relief@mrc.virginia.gov or call: 757-247-2200, Option #5